DIY - Invitations

Picture from Jody Prouse

Picture from The Knot

This weekend I was going over invitations with two of my clients, Anna & Scott. Since it was on my mind, I thought I would post information on Do It Yourself Invitations. It really is fairly simple..you just have to be creative! Yes, it can be a little time consuming, but think about how much money you are going to save! Like I had suggested to Anna, this is something that your bridesmaids can help you with. Have a fun "invitation party" with your bridesmaids and anyone else who wants to help. Have a bottle of champagne some desserts and make it a party! Being on a budget doesn't mean that you have to stress about things..it just means that you have to be a little more creative..and it gives you a chance to hang out with your closest BFFs while you are still a bachelorette.

Any stationary store should have the items that it takes to do your own invitations. Check Hobby Lobby or any other craft store that is in your area to see what kind of papers that they have. While you are in "saving money mode" go ahead and make your programs to match your invitations! I wouldn't make them exactly alike, but play off of one another to make it all tie in.

There are several ways to do a DIY Invitation - but to mimic the invitation in picture 1 you can read a step-by-step tutorial by clicking Here.

Good luck!

Outragous Dinner Party!!

I came across a website today that I had never seen before. Dinner in the Sky is the new rage and is quickly making itself well-known all across the world. What a way to impress clients, family or friends! I would love to be able to put on one of these dinners for a client...I am all about finding new ways to impress the socks off of your guests..and I think this would certainly do it. As long as your clients (or you!) are not afraid of heights! The upscale dinner can enjoyed for 8 hours allowing 22 people to go up at a time. So, if you have a lot of guests, you can have time slots and they can go up in groups every 2 hours. If you want exclusive VIP access you and your 22 guests can enjoy the dinner and the views for the full 8 hours (that is a long time to be up there though!)

Dinner in the Sky has an enclosed box in the middle of the tables that fits your personal chef, waiter/waitress and an entertainer. If additional entertainment is needed a platform can be lifted to the same height as you and your guests that enjoy, such as a live band. Or..if this is a corporate event and you are trying to really wow your guests while selling a product, have that product right at eye level for them...such as a car! These guys at Dinner in the Sky can do just about anything!

If any of you need event services and want to look into having your dinner 50 meters high, give me a call and I would love to plan this for you!

Gator Board

A SPECIAL BOARD FOR:

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Melissa DiStefano

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Masterpiece Weddings

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Alright, Melissa, are you happy now!?? haha..I thought your last post was so funny..it actually inspired me to post a board full of Gator colors! Yes, I am an Ohio State fan, but you and my husband both are Floridians and huge Gator fans...so I figured that I'd make you both happy by creating this board. :)
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Although I still love my Red, White and Gray color board, I will say that this board isn't half bad. Although these colors are all so bold and can very easily clash with each other...I will say that the Gators can pull it off quite nicely. ;)

Thanks to the following for the pictures: www.zappos.com, www.cakesbytasha.com, www.theenvelope.latimes.com, www.jewelryadviser.com, www.bagbliss.com, www.functionaccessories.co.nz, www.homegardeningblog.com, www.wildflowersbylori.com, www.thkimdesigns.com, www.kentuckyarts.org

Color Board - Red, White & Gray

This week has been full of non-stop, on the go work, which we love..but it does take a toll on your body at times. But as all of the business was going on, I could not get Ohio out of my mind this week. I grew up in Ohio and moved to the south to go to college. After college, I stayed in the Chattanooga area and started the first Allure office here. Although I love Chattanooga, I was a little homesick this week. I'm not really sure why, but I just was.

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So me being homesick is the inspiration for this week's color board. Although I did not go to Ohio State, I am a fan and used Ohio State colors on the board. It comes across very chic when used in the right way. Red has always been used as an accent color for many weddings...dating back to even the 70's (but the outfits sure have changed!) Red is the color of love and love is what weddings are all about (or at least should be!)

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Thanks to the following for the pictures: fashion.about.com, www.sara-christine.blogspot.com, www.gemsations.net, www.bestweddinggown.info, www.cakecreator.files.wordpress.com, www.nibsblog.files.wordpress.com, www.fashiontribes.typepad.com, www.imagecache2.allposters.com, www.3quarksdaily.blogs.com, www.iloveuma.com, toastandtables.blogspot.com, www.allwomenstalk.com, www.art.com, www.hugestore.com

Allure {Ohio} Wedding

A few months ago I mentioned to you all that I was opening up another Allure office, this time in Ohio. Toya Webb is the head coordinator in the Ohio office, and she has just accomplished her first wedding while working for Allure! I thought I would post a few of the pictures from the wedding so that you all can see that the Ohio business is up and running.

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There are great things to come for Allure {Ohio}. We have a lot of ideas bouncing around in our heads and hopefully within the next few months we will nail some of those things down. I do want to make it clear that even though Allure does a lot of weddings, we also do a lot of corporate events and meetings. If anyone in the Ohio area needs assistance in planning their event please email Toya Webb at toya@allureeventconsulting.com.

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A HUGE thanks to Michelle McKibben Photography for the pictures of this wedding. Michelle is a very well known photographer throughout the Eastern part of the United States, working all the way from Ohio down to Jamaica! Check out her pictures on her website http://www.michellemckibbenphotography.com/.

Color Board!

Summer is full of weddings, and with weddings come themes and colors, like above. Green pretty much matches just about everything...but it especially looks great with orange and pink. It also makes that summer wedding have a bright and cheery feel about it..which is exactly what a wedding is supposed to be about!

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Thanks to the following for the pictures: www.weddingthemes.net/, www.beachweddingsbytheknot.com, www.mypersonalartist.com, www.brides.com, www.blissweddingsmarket.com, www.diybride.com, www.perfect-wedding-day.com, www.academy-florists.com

Wedding Decor

Nowadays, events are becoming almost a competition. Each host/hostess wants to "up" their event and make it more chic and unique than anyone that they know has done before. A way to do this is to decorate and pay attention to the small details. Lighting is huge when you are trying to create a special ambiance for your event. You can either hire a lighting specialist or if you are watching your budget, use lanterns and lots of colored votives to create the feel that you are going for. These two companies are great for event decoration...you can either rent or buy their items that they have for a pretty low cost.

The above is from Luna Bazaar.

The above is from Wedding Decor.

yum!

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I love doughnuts/donuts..however you spell it, it doesn't change the great taste of them! Today is National Doughnut Day and I am hungry for some hot and fresh Krispy Kremes! In celebration of this WONDERFUL holiday :), we thought you all should know how you can include doughnuts into your event. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

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Thanks to the following sites for these great pictures: http://www.bridalwave.com/, http://www.brides.com/, seattletimes.nwsource.com, http://www.weddingsatwork.com/, http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-glazed-doughnuts

Toliet Paper Dress Contest!

Ladies, it is time to be creative! Charmin and Ripley's Believe It or Not! are putting on their annual contest for the "CHEAP CHIC WEDDINGS 2008 TOILET PAPER WEDDING DRESS CONTEST". The above brides did a fantastic job in previous years..who knew that toilet paper could look so good!?? I know that toilet paper can be expensive, but you don't have to worry about that for this contest..each contestant will receive a Charmin coupon once their entries are received. You can only use toilet paper, glue and tape to make your dress...so make sure that you don't cheat and use anything else. You can find out all of the rules and information at www.CheapChicWeddings.com. Good Luck!